Expression of the Wolbachia male‐killing factor Oscar impairs dosage compensation in lepidopteran embryos

Abstract

Wolbachia are intracellular bacteria in insects that can manipulate the sexual development and reproduction by male killing or other methods. We have recently identified a Wolbachia protein named Oscar that acts as a male‐killing factor for lepidopteran insects. Oscar interacts with the Masculinizer (Masc) protein, which is required for both masculinization and dosage compensation (DC) in lepidopteran insects. Embryonic expression of Oscar inhibits masculinization and causes male killing in two lepidopteran species, Ostrinia furnacalis and Bombyx mori. However, it remains unknown whether Oscar‐induced male killing is caused by a failure of DC. Here, we performed a transcriptome analysis of Oscar complementary RNA‐injected O. furnacalis and B. mori embryos, and found that Oscar primarily targets the Masc protein, resulting in male killing by interfering with DC in lepidopteran insects.